The information network known as the World Wide Web (WWW), which is a subset of the well-known Internet, is arguably the most complete source of publicly accessible information available. Anyone with a suitable Internet appliance such as a personal computer with a standard Internet connection may access (go on-line) and navigate to information pages (termed web pages) stored on Internet-connected servers for the purpose of garnering information and initiating transactions with hosts of such servers and pages.
Many companies offer various subscription services accessible via the Internet. For example, many people now do their banking, stock trading, shopping, and so forth from the comfort of their own homes via Internet access. Typically, a user, through subscription, has access to personalized and secure WEB pages for such functions. By typing in a user name and a password or other personal identification code, a user may obtain information, initiate transactions, buy stock, and accomplish a myriad of other tasks.
One problem that is encountered by an individual who has several or many such subscriptions to Internet-brokered services is that there are invariably many passwords and/or log-in codes to be used. Often a same password or code cannot be used for every service, as the password or code may already be taken by another user. A user may not wish to supply a code unique to the user such as perhaps a social security number because of security issues, including quality of security that may vary from service to service. Additionally, many users at their own volition may choose different passwords for different sites so as to have increased security, which in fact also increases the number of passwords a user may have.
Another issue that can plague a user who has many passworded subscriptions is the fact that they must bookmark many WEB pages in a computer cache so that they may quickly find and access the various services. For example, in order to reserve and pay for airline travel, a user must connect to the Internet, go to his/her book-marks file and select an airline page. The user then has to enter a user name and password, and follow on-screen instructions once the page is delivered. If the user wishes to purchase tickets from the WEB site, and wishes to transfer funds from an on-line banking service, the user must also look for and select the personal bank or account page to initiate a funds transfer for the tickets. Different user names and passwords may be required to access these other pages, and things get quite complicated.
Although this preceding example is merely exemplary, it is generally known that much work related to finding WEB pages, logging in with passwords, and the like is required to successfully do business on the WEB.
A service known to the inventor and described in disclosure referenced by Ser. No. 09/208,740 listed under the cross-reference to related documents section provides a WEB service that allows a user to store all of his password protected pages in one location such that browsing and garnering information from them is much simplified. A feature of the above service allows a user to program certain tasks into the system such that requested tasks are executed by an agent (software) based on user instruction. The service stores user password and log-in information and uses the information to log-in to the user's sites, thus enabling the user to navigate without having to manually input log-in or password codes to gain access to the links.
The above-described service uses a server to present a user-personalized application that may be displayed as an interactive home page that contains all of his listed sites (hyperlinks) for easy navigation. The application lists the user's URLs in the form of hyperlinks such that a user may click on a hyperlink and navigate to the page wherein login, if required, is automatic, and transparent to the user.
The application described above also includes a software agent that may be programmed to perform scheduled tasks for the user including returning specific summaries and updates about user-account pages. A search function is provided and adapted to cooperate with the software agent to search user-entered URLs for specific content if such pages are cached somewhere in their presentable form such as at the portal server, or on the client's machine.
A further enhancement to the system described above is known to the inventor and described in the disclosure of application Ser. No. 09/323,598 also listed under the cross-reference section. The described enhancement consists of a means for obtaining information from WEB-based sources using a site-navigation script, a field template, and a means for parsing data. The navigation script follows site logic of a target WEB site containing the data for return to a user. Part of the template includes the description and location of the data requested by a user. A parsing engine acts to identify the new data for retrieval for a user. In this way, WEB summaries may be compiled on updated data at user-frequented sites.
A further enhancement to the above system is known to the inventor and disclosed under the patent application listed in the cross-reference section as 09532,647 and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Retrieving Information From Semi-Structured, WEB-Based Data Sources”.
In the enhancement described above, an Internet search system is structured for efficient data retrieval from semi-structured data sources. Using a text selection and configuration tool, a user is enabled to navigate to a WEB-site, or multiple WEB-sites, and pre-select the block areas of information that contain data that he or she wishes to be accessed and retrieved during future automated data searches. The data type entered by a provided data input function is associated with a WEB page block selected, and upon search implementation the block selected is searched for the data type requested, and data found is retrieved to be provided to the user. In a preferred embodiment portions of the system are executed on a user station, and other portions on a Portal server to which the user may subscribe. In this way, a user may have data retrieved from semi-structured sources and presented in the form of a summary page.
The Portal system with the above-described enhancements taught in the cross-referenced patent applications also features an automatic registration service available to users if they want information from a WEB-site or service that requires registration. If the WEB pages are new to a user, and the user has no registration with the WEB site, then through agreement, or other convention, the service may be provided access to such sites. Such an agreement may be made, for example, if the host of the WEB site realizes a possibility of gaining a new customer if the customer likes the summary information presented. In disclosure taught thus far, auto registration is fairly limited to include only sites that are requested by a user and whom are cooperative to the procedure.
It has occurred to the inventor that the functions of auto-registration may be expanded to include a plurality of pre-configured WEB-services which are looking for new clients. Such a value-added service may provide researched and rated service sites that collectively provide all of the types of singular or multiple services that a Portal subscriber may need or desire.
Such a system is known to the inventor and referenced in the cross-reference section above. The system, referred to as a navigation sub-system provides a software function, which is part of the system as a whole, for populating and submitting electronic forms by proxy over a data-packet-network. The system comprises a software application running on a system of network-connected servers that enables a user, connected in session with one of the servers, to navigate to a site containing an electronic form and obtain data about the site and about the form. The data obtained is used in conjunction with data about the user to construct a machine-readable job order upon user request that may be executed for the purpose of automatic form population and submission to a host sponsoring the site. Upon acceptance of the submitted form, data used for passwords, log-in codes and user-names is returned to a data repository where it is entered along with specific site data as a new registered site item for a registering user such that future navigation to the site, auto log-in and data return may be performed automatically on behalf of the user.
In order to provide fully automated proxy services on behalf of users, a software bundle including an auto-control mechanism must be conceived and implemented for the purpose of enabling true automation of java-based programs executed by a proxy browsing application without the need for user intervention. It is an object of the present invention to provide a truly automated and self-contained navigation system for performing by proxy all of the functions that normally require user input to accomplish.
A software application known to the inventor and described in one of the patent applications listed under the Cross-Reference to Related Documents section above, provides a software-bundle for enabling automated navigating and task-performance extension on a data network on behalf of a user by proxy. The software bundle comprises a browser application, for navigating on the network; a set of functional programs for performing tasks; a set of APIs for integrating the functional programs to the browser application and a control application. The control application functions to operate the software bundle including, spawning, managing and terminating an instance of the browser application and monitoring behavior of the browser instance during a navigation sequence. The software-bundle, including the browser application, functions as a fully automated navigation system capable of performing all of the functions of a manual navigation system controlled by a user having a data-input system for controlling the navigation system.
It has occurred to the inventor that, independent of the functionality that the above-described software-bundle provides, a similar function could be added to a PC user's desktop wherein navigation to, logging on to a specific website, and performing tasks at the site could be automated. Such a task could be accomplished with no user interaction after the initial set up. In prior art, users operating desktop browsers must perform many input actions in order to manage network navigation tasks. Moreover, filling in electronic forms for authentication, purchasing, registration, and the like require still more input action by a user in session.
What is clearly needed, and provided by the present invention, is a method and apparatus for enabling at least a limited capability for automating a desktop browser application to perform navigation and interaction sequences on behalf of a user wherein manual input required by the user is significantly reduced, and in some cases, eliminated.